Food

These States Are the Biggest Food Producers in the US

Gligatron / iStock via Getty Images

In American culture, the vast urban metropolises have half the country’s population and generate up to 90% of its GDP. But it’s the rural areas, often dismissed as “flyover states,” that feed the country and the world. We’ve ranked them for you based on 2023 cash receipts for all agricultural commodities. (This data is from the USDA Economic Research Service). 

Key Points

  • Every US state produces millions to billions of dollars worth of agricultural commodities a year, feeding the nation and the world.

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50. Alaska

Matanuska Public Farm
Jacob Player / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $51 million
  • Percent of US total: less than 0.1%
  • Major commodities: miscellaneous crops, floriculture, hay. 

49. Rhode Island

KenWiedemann / iStock via Getty Images
  • Annual Production: $105 million
  • Percent of US total: less than 0.1%
  • Major commodities: miscellaneous crops, eggs, animals and animal products 

48. New Hampshire

First light of the day slowly warming up the farm early summer morning. Landaff, NH
Diana Nault / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $259 million
  • Percent of US total: less than 0.1%
  • Major commodities: miscellaneous crops, eggs, dairy

47. Massachusetts

Peabody, Massachusetts | Row of Cherry Blossoms
Gianna Forlizzi / iStock via Getty Images
  • Annual Production: $515 million
  • Percent of US total: 0.1%
  • Major commodities: miscellaneous crops, floriculture, cranberries

46. Hawaii

Fresh pineapples in the organic plantation farm
Jes2u.photo / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $672 million
  • Percent of US total: less than 0.1%
  • Major commodities: miscellaneous crops, cattle and other animals, coffee, floriculture.

45. Connecticut

Cute cows on a farm in Connecticut
Samantha Van Horn / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $719 million
  • Percent of US total: 0.1%
  • Major commodities: miscellaneous crops, floriculture, dairy, eggs

44. Maine

Northern Maine Potato Field before the Harvest
Bruce Peter / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $873 million
  • Percent of US total: 0.2%
  • Major commodities: potatoes, miscellaneous crops, dairy, eggs, blueberries

43. Vermont

woodstock vermont maple syrup farm
Lizzie Nelson / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $931 million
  • Percent of US total: 0.2%
  • Major commodities: 

42. West Virginia

Farm field and distant mountains on a foggy morning in the rural Potomac Highlands of West Virginia.
Jon Bilous / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $975 million
  • Percent of US total: 0.2%
  • Major commodities: cattle, broilers, turkeys, miscellaneous crops

41. Nevada

Wild Mustang horses running in a meadow near Reno in the Nevada desert.
Gchapel / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $987 million
  • Percent of US total: 0.2%
  • Major commodities: cattle, hay, dairy, miscellaneous crops

40. New Jersey

terhune orchards, apple picking, princeton, new jersey, usa
Ravindra Singh Kwatra / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $1.61 billion
  • Percent of US total: 0.3%
  • Major commodities: miscellaneous crops, floriculture, eggs, blueberries

39. Delaware

Farm land in Delaware. Fresh cut wheat field .
lee thompson / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $1.84 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 0.4%
  • Major commodities: broilers, miscellaneous crops, corn, soybeans, eggs, wheat

38. Wyoming

Cowboy roping on a grey horse
Diamond D Images / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $2.1 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 0.4%
  • Major commodities: cattle, hay, hogs, other animals

37. Utah

Irrigated agriculture in desert, farm in Utah, USA
Dmitry Pichugin / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $2.5 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 0.5%
  • Major commodities: cattle, eggs, dairy, hay

36. Maryland

Broomes Island, Maryland USA A farmers market by the side of the road and rows of yellow squash.
Alexanderstock23 / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $2.9 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 0.6%
  • Major commodities: broilers, miscellaneous crops, corn, soybeans, dairy

35. South Carolina

Fresh Potatoes and Green Beans Set Out at Farmer's Market.
Al Munroe / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $3.4 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 0.6%
  • Major commodities: broilers, miscellaneous crops, corn, cotton, cattle, soybeans

34. New Mexico

Bunches of dried red chili pods hanging as decorative ristras at local farmers market
Teri Virbickis / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $3.99 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 0.8%
  • Major commodities: cattle, milk, miscellaneous crops, pecans, hay, onions

33. Louisiana

Cotton Field in Alexandria Louisiana
Bonnie Taylor Barry / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $4.2 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 0.8%
  • Major commodities: sugarcane, soybeans, broilers, corn, rice, cattle

32. Virginia

Autumn vineyard hills during in Virginia with yellow trees
Andriy Blokhin / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $4.8 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 0.9%
  • Major commodities: broilers, cattle, miscellaneous crops, turkeys, dairy, corn, soybeans

31. Montana

This is a shot of hay bales at dawn near Conrad, Montana.
Cory Utterback / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $4.96 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 1%
  • Major commodities: cattle, wheat, hay, barley, miscellaneous crops, lentils, peas, hogs, eggs

30. Tennessee

Aerial view of grain storage building adjacent to an ethanol production plant near Obion, Tennessee, USA
Kent Raney / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $5.2 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 1%
  • Major commodities: soybeans, cattle, broilers, corn, miscellaneous crops

29. Arizona

Beautiful smart farm. Enjoy maintaining agriculture the growth of the cactus from the seeds on the farm of desert tree.
mansong suttakarn / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $5.25 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 1%
  • Major commodities: cattle, dairy, lettuce, miscellaneous crops, hay, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, dates

28. Oregon

Beautiful Lavender Valley with Snow capped Mt. Hood in Oregon and Rainbow Sky in the background panoramic.
Michael Warwick / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $6.51 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 1.2%
  • Major commodities: miscellaneous crops, cattle, dairy, hay, potatoes, wheat, onions, eggs, blueberries

27. New York

Purple world - mini eggplants (baby eggplants) at local farmer's market. New York. USA.
Verysmallplanet / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $7.12 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 1.4%
  • Major commodities: dairy, miscellaneous crops, corn, cattle, apples, floriculture, eggs, soybeans

26. Mississippi

Planting Corn in South Mississippi
CIRI Photography / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $7.34 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 1.4%
  • Major commodities: broilers, soybeans, corn, cotton, cattle, eggs, catfish, miscellaneous crops

25. Alabama

Large Sorghum field located just east of Demopolis, Alabama and before Union Town, Alabama off of highway 80.
Mccallk69 / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $7.95 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 1.5%
  • Major commodities: broilers, cattle, eggs, miscellaneous crops, cotton, corn, soybeans, peanuts, catfish

24. Kentucky

A mare and foal grazing on early spring grass with horse barn in the background.
Patrick Jennings / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $8.1 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 1.6%
  • Major commodities: soybeans, broilers, cattle, corn

23. Oklahoma

Some windmills in a farmer's field on a summer afternoon in Oklahoma
Sabrina Janelle Gordon / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $8.6 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 1.7%
  • Major commodities: cattle, hogs, broilers, wheat, miscellaneous crops, hay, corn, dairy

22. Pennsylvania

A Rainy Autumn Day at the Gettysburg Battlefield, Pennsylvania USA
Walt Bilous / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $8.65 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 1.7%
  • Major commodities: dairy, eggs, broilers, cattle, miscellaneous crops, mushrooms, corn, hogs

21. Florida

Close-up of the hands of the farmer who harvest the oranges in the citrus grove with scissors. Traditional agriculture.
Francescomoufotografo / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $9.2 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 1.8%
  • Major commodities: miscellaneous crops, floriculture, sugarcane, cattle, tomatoes, dairy, strawberries

20. Colorado

A sheep feedlot along highway 14 near Briggsdale, Colorado
Bob Pool / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $9.4 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 1.8%
  • Major commodities: cattle, dairy, corn, miscellaneous crops, hay, wheat, potatoes

19. Idaho

A freshly planted field of Idaho potatoes growing in a rolling farm field.
B Brown / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $10.9 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 2.1%
  • Major commodities: dairy, cattle, potatoes, hay, wheat, miscellaneous crops, sugar beets, barley, corn

18. Michigan

D.H. Day Farm, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan, USA
Fotogro / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $11.4 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 2.2%
  • Major commodities: dairy, corn, soybeans, miscellaneous crops, cattle, eggs, floriculture, hogs, apples

17. Washington

uniontown agriculture industry building in eastern washington
saraporn / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $11.9 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 2.3%
  • Major commodities: cattle, apples, dairy, potatoes, miscellaneous crops, wheat, hay, eggs, hops, onions.

16. North Dakota

Aerial view of farmland in North Dakota, USA. American countryside, farming vehicles in the field
Lena Platonova / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $11.96 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 2.3%
  • Major commodities: soybeans, wheat, corn, cattle, canola, sugar beets, dry beans, sunflowers, potatoes

15. Georgia

Peach
Alena Haurylik / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $12.5 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 2.4%
  • Major commodities: broilers, cotton, eggs, peanuts, miscellaneous crops, cattle, dairy, corn, pecans

14. Arkansas

Red cabbage growing in a big field in Arkansas, USA
Diana Borden / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $13.2 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 2.5%
  • Major commodities: broilers, soybeans, rice, eggs, corn, cattle, cotton, turkeys, miscellaneous crops

13. South Dakota

grain silo and dryer at night with pile of grain.
SARYMSAKOV ANDREY / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $13.7 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 2.6%
  • Major commodities: corn, cattle, soybeans, hogs, dairy, wheat, hay, sunflower, miscellaneous crops

12. Ohio

A pile of tiny baby piglets sleeping at the county fair in Marietta, Ohio 2018.
Brenda Sue Cooper / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $13.8 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 2.7%
  • Major commodities: soybeans, corn, chicken eggs, dairy, hogs, cattle, miscellaneous crops

11. Wisconsin

Heifers on a dairy farm in rural Wisconsin
Ilia Bordiugov / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $15.46 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 3%
  • Major commodities: dairy, cattle, corn, soybeans, miscellaneous crops, potatoes, eggs, cranberries

10. Missouri

A closeup shot of a farm worker's hands holding freshly picked grapes from a vineyard in Missouri
Wirestock Creators / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $15.5 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 3%
  • Major commodities: soybeans, cattle, corn, hogs, broilers, eggs, miscellaneous crops, cotton, turkeys

9. North Carolina

Tobacco field in North Carolina showing plants with big green leaves
C. Schmidt Photography / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $15.7 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 3%
  • Major commodities: Broilers, hogs, turkeys, miscellaneous crops, soybeans, eggs, corn, tobacco, cotton

8. Indiana

Aerial view of american countryside landscape. Farm, red barn, cows. Rural scenery, farmland. Sunny morning, spring summer season
Lena Platonova / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $16.7 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 3.2%
  • Major commodities: corn, soybeans, eggs, hogs, milk, turkeys, cattle, miscellaneous crops

7. Kansas

Windmill sits in a Kansas sorghum field
Stephanie L Bishop / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $23.3 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 4.5%
  • Major commodities: cattle, corn, soybeans, wheat, dairy, sorghum, hogs, hay, miscellaneous crops, eggs

6. Minnesota

Sunflowers blooming in a northern Minnesota field at sunset.
Craig Hinton / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $25.2 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 4.8%
  • Major commodities: corn, soybeans, hogs, cattle, dairy, turkeys, sugar beets, wheat

5. Illinois

Pumpkin patch on an overcast day with barns behind it in Spring Grove, Illinois
John Ruberry / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $27 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 5.2%
  • Major commodities: corn, soybeans, hogs, cattle, miscellaneous crops, wheat, dairy, eggs, floriculture

4. Texas

Texas Longhorns in the Pasture at Sunset
Kasey Ward / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $29.9 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 5.7%
  • Major commodities: cattle, broilers, dairy, miscellaneous crops, corn, cotton, eggs, hay, wheat

3. Nebraska

Farming corn in the midwest
Cody Farris / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $31.8 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 6.1%
  • Major commodities: cattle, corn, soybeans, hogs, broilers, eggs, hay, miscellaneous crops, dairy, wheat

2. Iowa

Corn Field in Iowa
StompingGirl / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $39.9 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 7.7%
  • Major commodities: corn, hogs, soybeans, cattle, eggs, dairy, turkeys, miscellaneous crops, hay

1. California

Aerial view of California's Imperial Valley and the Colorado River
Thomas Barrat / Shutterstock.com
  • Annual Production: $59.4 billion 
  • Percent of US total: 11.4%
  • Major commodities: dairy, grapes, miscellaneous crops, cattle, lettuce, almonds, pistachios, strawberries, tomatoes, carrots, broilers, rice, floriculture, broccoli, hay, oranges, tangerines, eggs, walnuts

 

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